PSSST!

New scent brand Ostens is channelling the sensory power of fragrance with a vibrant, immersive installation in London

BY CLAIRE BINGHAM

New fragrance brand Ostens wants to change the way we think about scent. The idea is to harness emotions – through the use of single note-inspired scents – and visualize them in terms of colour. Abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky believed that colour is a power that directly influences the soul. Ostens is clearly on the same page.

The conceptual label is currently showcasing its first set of fragrances in a gallery-like space at London’s 62 Blandford Street in Marylebone, debuting with a pink neon-lit, rose-inspired installation designed by Ostens’ Creative Director Mark Wilkie. The sensory experience will constantly evolve with a fresh installation every couple of months to showcase individual perfumes. This is about encountering perfume not through typical advertising but instead by taking in the atmosphere directly and following your nose for yourself.

Combining perfume with colour and art, Laurent and Chris have taken the olfactive compositions even further by developing a visual language for each of the hero notes, making the invisible visible through the use of colour combinations to evoke emotions generated by the distinctive scents. ostens.com

Ostens offers five Préparations (fragrance oils), from £35 for 9ml, and six Impressions (eau de parfum), from £85 for 50ml. Discover Ostens in residence at 62 Blandford Street, London W1; see website for opening hours.

New Yorkers can snap up a little Portuguese style with the arrival of Claus Porto’s first standalone store outside Portugal. Olá Manhattan!

BY CLAIRE BINGHAM

Portuguese label Claus Porto is famed for its exquisitely packaged soaps and, more recently, its revamped ‘Agua de Colonia' fragrance collection (right) created in collaboration with leading British perfumer Lyn Harris. However, until now, the company has been very much under the radar – a secret Lisbon and Porto gem for beauty and graphics enthusiasts alike. This is about to change.

RIGHT: British perfumer Lyn Harris has been instrumental in the brand’s revamp, These five new fragrances are based on a modern interpretation of colognes. ‘Agua de Colonia’ collection, £85 each for 125ml

Claus Porto has just opened a store on Elizabeth Street in Manhattan’s Nolita, the beauty and fragrance label’s first retail space beyond their Portuguese home. Conceived by New York firm Tacklebox Architecture, under the direction of Jeremy Barbour, the scheme is eye-catching in every sense.

Milled from Portuguese cork, 1,500 faceted white diamond tiles line the walls of the vaulted interior, incorporating carved display niches. A 42-foot-long archway has also been inserted into the ground floor of this early 1800s building. Both pay homage to Portuguese architecture and craftsmanship, with the arch and tiles referencing Porto’s Sao Bento train station, which was first proposed in 1887 – the same year that Claus Porto was founded.

BELOW: The 1,500 faceted diamond tiles were milled from Portuguese cork – a material characteristic to the country – and reference the decorative azulejo tiled façade of the historic Casa dos Bicos in Lisbon

The arch serves as a dramatic portal to welcome visitors into the beautifully patterned and scented world of Claus Porto. It’s an otherwise minimal space, with a monolithic marble wash basin at its heart, celebrating bathing rituals. Yes, the interior is cool and futuristic – but the product remains king. What can we say but obrigado!clausporto.com

Claus Porto, 230 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY 10012. See Claus Porto’s website for details of their Portuguese stores in Lisbon and Porto.

Goop brings its Californian-inspired beauty, fashion and homewares collection to the UK with its debut London pop-up store, a blend of British craftsmanship and West Coast chill

BY CLAIRE BINGHAM

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop has opened in its first UK pop-up store – in London’s Westbourne Grove – and we’re already feeling enriched.

Combining retail therapy with their open-minded and holistic approach to wellbeing as a lifestyle, it is far from wacky and a brilliant new destination for anyone interested in Californian-vibe beauty and style.

You’ll also fall for the light-filled, nature-inspired surrounds created by London-based interior designer Fran Hickman. Her vision for the store references the Zen-influenced monochrome paintings of Yves Klein and early physic gardens devoted to the study of restorative plants. Fran worked with local design talents to bring the space to life – Nikki Tibbles of Wild at Heart for planting, Pinch for furniture and beauty displays, Nest Design for the electric-blue curtains in the dressing area, and Vitsoe for its iconic shelving systems. Architectural salvage firm Retrouvius supplied a vintage museum cabinet.

ABOVE: A deep blue colour scheme channels the ocean on the basement fashion floor; industrial chipboard delivers an inexpensive yet effective display system in the homewares section, flanked by sunny gold paint; Pinch’s smart red ‘Joyce’ cabinet and ‘Clyde’ side table with stripped floorboards and tile details; the ‘Imo’ bench by Pinch in a restful foliage- and light-filled space at the front of the store

Goop celebrates its 10-year anniversary with this London outpost – slated to stay open until 27 January 2019 – setting the stage for further international boutiques. Goop fans in search of their simple yet elegant contemporary pieces can also shop online.goop.com

Vitra London hosts its biggest ever sale this Saturday, including great deals on contemporary design classics

BY SOPHIE DAVIES

Design hunters, fancy snapping up some style for less? Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra is hosting its biggest ever One Day Sale in London this Saturday 6 October. Taking over two floors of its East London showroom at 30 Clerkenwell Road, it will offer discounts of 30 to 75 per cent off a range of contemporary classics, including furniture by Charles and Ray Eames, Jean Prouvé, Isamu Noguchi and Verner Panton. Doors open at 9.30am and shut by 4pm, so get your skates on!

Expect serious bargains at the Clerkenwell store on more than 1000 pieces, spanning from sofas, chairs and stools to dining tables, desks, coffee tables and storage units. Also in the mix are smaller accessories by Finnish brand Artek and Alexander Girard, special editions and iconic designs, starting from as little as £10. Contemporary names in the frame include Antonio Citterio, Barber Osgerby, Jasper Morrison, and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec – think catnip for collectors.

ABOVE: Lucky shoppers can nab Star Buys such as the classic ‘Noguchi Coffee Table’ by Isamu Noguchi at a reduced price. Bargains include the ‘Eames Plastic Side Chair DSR’ in poppy red and the ‘Soft Pad’ chair EA 208 by Charles and Ray Eames, ideal for a chic home office.

Star Buys include the classic ‘Noguchi Coffee Table’ by Isamu Noguchi in walnut (was £2,020, now £149); the sculptural ‘Tabouret Haut’ stool by Jean Prouvé in dark oak with Japanese red foot resting ring (was £595, now £49); the iconic ‘Soft Pad’ chair EA 208 by Charles and Ray Eames in clay premium leather (was £2,670, now £149); a set of four ‘Eames Plastic Chairs DSR’ in poppy red (was £1,000, now £199); and the ‘Cork Stool Model A’ by Jasper Morrison (was £355, now £10!), all prices including VAT. Star Buys only apply to the specific pieces labelled and displayed in the store windows, not like-for-like products, and you can only purchase one per person. They’ll go like hot cakes, on a first-come, first-served basis, so get in quick.

Vitra’s One Day Sale is at Vitra, 30 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1, from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturday 6 October 2018. See their Facebook event page for more terms and conditions.

Enjoy all the fun of the fair at this week’s London Design Festival, with our 11 must-see installations and showcases around town…

BY SOPHIE DAVIES

This year’s London Design Festival is in full swing, bringing a bewildering array of new design launches and exhibitions to town. We’ve already shared our top tips for the thought-provoking London Design Biennale and festival hub the V&A, but here are 11 citywide FizzPicks for design inspiration, taking in landmark projects, alfresco installations and seductive showrooms.

ES DEVLIN: ‘PLEASE FEED THE LIONS’Attracting Insta love in Trafalgar Square – as well as confused looks from tourists – interactive design ‘Please Feed The Lions’ is a collaboration between British artist/stage designer Es Devlin and Google Arts & Culture. A fifth fluorescent red lion has joined the square’s big cat statues, roaring out a crowd-sourced, collective poem. Tap in your word via the on-site screen or online to see it displayed in LEDs in the lion’s mouth. The streaming text is also projection-mapped over Nelson’s Column and the lion at night. Naturally, we fed it the words ‘design’ and ‘fizz’.Trafalgar Square, London WC2 (18-23 September)

KELLENBERGER-WHITE: ‘ALPHABET’Sit on a letter or make words with the 26 vibrant, alphabet chairs at interactive installation ‘Alphabet’ in Broadgate. An experiment in folding metal to create a typographic system, the bespoke seats were designed by London graphic design consultancy Kellenberger-White, known for their playful approach to typefaces. Their inspirations ranged from Bauhaus designers to artist Bruno Munari. Each chair is a different colour, daubed in specialist industrial paint, ranging from orange to cornflower blue.Finsbury Avenue Square, Broadgate, London EC2 (15-23 September)

SCHOLTEN & BAIJINGS: ‘TIME FOR TEA’Take ‘Time For Tea’ at Fortnum & Mason with help from Scholten & Baijings. The Dutch design duo will draw on more than 80 global designs for this installation celebrating the dainty ritual, drawing inspiration from the store’s signature eau de Nil colour and gorgeous green hues. The tabletop setting encompasses a new porcelain tea set produced by 1616/Arita, plus furniture, accessories and limited-edition pieces contrasting tradition with cutting-edge Dutch creativity. Featured products include chairs by HAY, Moroso and Karimoku New Standard, curtains by Maharam, and marble tables and flooring by Luce di Carrara.First Floor, Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1 (15-23 September)

LEE BROOM: ‘OBSERVATORY’British boy wonder Lee Broom brings his stellar-inspired lighting collection ‘Observatory’ to his Shoreditch showroom, a hit in Milan and New York. Playing with vertical and horizontal space, sculptural and spherical form, and light reflection and refraction, the third edition of this glamorous yet ultra-contemporary range includes pendant and table lights, making luxe use of LEDs and bespoke bulbs designed in-house.Lee Broom, 93 Rivington Street, London EC2 (18-23 September)

HOUSE OF GREYBook online to see House of Grey’s gorgeous North London pop-up exhibition ‘In the Neighbourhood’, a brilliant edit of local and international designers, artists and makers in two residential settings. Curated by Louisa Grey and Morgwyn Rimel, elegant townhouse ‘The Grey House’ creates a calm atmosphere celebrating texture, neutral tones, handmade craft and natural materials. By contrast, loft-style ‘The Blue House’ occupies a converted Methodist congregation hall, with vibrant, bold colours and eclectic contemporary designs. Furniture, textiles, accessories and lighting are on show, flanked by art and plants. Talents include Henry Wilson, Noorstad, Frama, Muller Van Severen for valarie_objects, Dirk Van Der Kooij and Dinosaur Designs.By appointment only, North London (15-21 September); for availability check here.

THE CONRAN SHOPThe Conran Shop hosts two cracking shows for LDF18. At the Marylebone Store, ‘The Conran Shop x Carl Hansen’ celebrates on-trend indigo, with exclusive editions of the Danish’s firm’s furniture transformed by the deep blue hue. Think Carl Hansen & Søn’s ‘CH4 Wishbone Chair’ by Hans Wegner with an indigo lacquer and Hiut denim seat pad. A stool and chair by Kaare Klint’s also get the denim treatment. At Chelsea’s Michelin House store ‘The Conran Shop x Pinterest’ features a maze of giant red pins, channelling the social media inspo site, while visitors can Pin and save products as they shop using an app and innovative Near Field technology microchips hidden in tags. Pincodes on display reveal the inspiration behind key designs.The Conran Shop, 55 Marylebone High Street, Marylebone, London W1; Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 (both 15-23 September)

MATTER OF STUFFPrepare to be transported by London design research gallery Matter of Stuff. In Kings Cross, their pop-up Concept Gallery at Fenman House has been designed by Raw Edges. Hung with wooden dowels suspended by blue string, the space celebrates materials, finishes and texture, including marble and ceramics. It’s the ideal backdrop to Matter of Stuff’s collection of furniture and lighting (by Bohinc Studio and Uufie) plus a curated mix of global brands including CC-Tapis, Made in Ratio and La Chance. Matter of Stuff also explores blown-glass at site-specific exhibition ‘Blown Away’ at Mayfair restaurant/bar Sketch. Don’t miss the new borosilicate glass ‘Bubble’ chandelier by master glassblower Simone Crestani. Magical.Fenman House, 5 Lewis Cubitt Walk, Kings Cross, London N1; Sketch, 9 Conduit Street, London W1 (15-23 September)

The ARAM GALLERYCovent Garden’s The Aram Gallery presents ‘Hilos Invisibles’, a collaboration between Montevideo-born designer Matteo Fogale and seven Uruguayan design studios, including furniture, lighting, mirrors and accessories in brass, glass, wood and concrete. Inspired by the work of modernist Uruguayan architect Julio Vilamajó – a design consultant on New York’s UN Headquarters with Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer – the project was born of a 2017 residency and workshop at Montevideo’s Vilamajó House Museum, built by the architect in 1930, and draws on his architectural design details.110 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2 (17 September-27 October)

THE NEW CRAFTSMENA serene sanctuary, ‘The New Craftsmen x Malgorzata Bany’ offers zen time out from the frenzy of LDF18. Hosted by contemporary British crafts showroom The New Craftsmen in Mayfair, London-based, Slade-trained artist and designer Malgorzata Bany presents her collection of sculptural furniture, objects and table lights, including new additions to the popular range. Materials span Jesmonite, metal and handmade paper, with minimal yet organic forms. Bany also shares her edit of the store’s other makers. And breathe…34 North Row, Mayfair, London W1 (15 and 17-22 September)

DesignFizz

DesignFizz is an international celebration of design. New products, cool places and spaces, design stores and destinations, design and art events, hip hotels, restaurants, bars, street style and music, this is your essential guide to what's hot in the world of contemporary design.

ABOVE: The new V&A Dundee, Scotland’s first design museum and northern sister to London’s V&A. Designed by Japanese architects Kengo Kuma & Associates.vam.ac.uk/dundee